Fieldtrip to the Peruvian Amazon

This July, my work took me to the Loreto Department in north-east Peru. There, in the heart of the Peruvian Amazon, fieldwork means always adapting, changing plan, dealing with sweat, mud and mosquitos, but the experience was not only invaluable —it was lifechanging!

I am a palaeoecologist, which means that I explore how ecosystems have changed through time, why these changes occurred, and when they took place. I mainly do this through the use of fossil pollen accumulated in the soil over hundreds to thousands of years, to reconstruct what the vegetation looked like at various moments in time.

Every plant produces pollen that we can recognise and every plant has a different environmental significance, so by analysing these ancient pollen grains I can reconstruct past vegetation and deduce the environmental conditions that existed at various points in time. This research is crucial given current predictions about climate change's impact on the Amazon. Understanding how these ecosystems have previously responded to climatic events, such as changes in the intensity of droughts and floods and changes in the duration of the seasons, can help us prepare for the future.

With these objectives in mind, I embarked on a month-long expedition to sample a variety of ecosystems across the Peruvian Amazon. This region is one of the most biodiverse places on Earth, with much of its forest still relatively intact. This specific part of Amazonia also receives water from a vast network of rivers flowing from the Andes, which converge into the Amazon River. Any changes in this region have the potential to impact not only the surrounding ecosystems but also the entire world, which makes studying this region an absolute priority.

Our journey began in the village of Veinte de Enero, a few hours by speedboat from the city of Nauta, upstream of the Marañon River. Returning to this community, where I had conducted research for my PhD, was quite a nostalgic experience. We were welcomed with open arms by the community and began setting up our equipment and collecting soil samples in the palm swamp for the next few days.

The swamps are hard work – standing water, relentless insects and peaty ground that sank beneath our feet making for exhausting days. But as much as accessing these ecosystems is challenging, working there is a privilege. These swamps are some of the world’s most efficient carbon sinks, playing a crucial role in mitigating climate change. And besides, they are simply beautiful places, surrounded by the serene beauty of the palms and the constant, peaceful soundtrack of bird calls.

Our trip continued to the village of Parinari, located another three or four hours by speedboat up the Marañon. Here we were hosted by the village elder and we set our tents on a wooden platform in his house.

I was astounded by the generosity of the communities. We were strangers in their land, foreigners, but they always made sure we had everything we required. If we needed an assistant, by the next morning there would be someone ready so spend the entire day to help us carry and install equipment and guide us through the forest. People made food for us and would provide us with freshly caught fish and plantain if we needed extra food after our tiring days out.

Next, we headed to the heart of the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve, travelling hours up the Samiria River, and camped at a ranger control point (Punto de Vigilancia) called Tacshacocha (PV6), where our tasks remained the same but the ecosystem here was drastically different.

It was so hard to keep concentrated on the tasks at hand and manage the scientific work with all the beautiful nature around. Eagles, squirrel monkeys, giant river otters, pink dolphins, kingfishers, spiky caterpillars and gigantic trees. This is one of the most abundant and biodiverse places in the world, and I felt honoured to be able to work in such a rich and beautiful environment. Being woken up by the roaring sound of howler monkeys was definitely a high point in my life.

Our final destination was the Allpahuayo Mishana National Reserve, home to the unique white sand forests. These forests, characterized by their white sandy ground and tall, thin trees, were a striking contrast to the other ecosystems we had encountered so far. Squirrel monkeys were the main character here, leaping over our heads in troops as we worked.

Overall, this trip was very successful, and I am very much looking forward to having a look at all the samples I brought back. Though I’m sure some people might think I am out of my mind to travel all the way to the other side of the world for some dirt, the truth is that this dirt contains absolute treasures. It holds information that has been accumulating for thousands of years and stores answers that could help humanity and our ecosystem. For example, with increasing drought there is a related increase in fire and desertification, but if we know which plants have historically resisted these changes and which have disappeared, we are able to plan for alternative ways that local communities can sustain themselves. Only by studying how past ecosystems have changed can we understand better how they function in response to environmental stresses, climate change and human impact. Only by conducting these kinds of studies can we be we prepared for what lies ahead and be equipped to help the people who will be directly affected.

As a colleague once told me: “If a village doesn’t know where it came from, how does it know where it’s going?”. This is what motivates me—unveiling the past to help future generations. In this moment in time we stand at a crossroads and we can decide to either help or be part of the problem. I find purpose in knowing that my work could one day make a difference, and I’m grateful for the opportunity to immerse myself in the beauty of the Amazon while contributing to its preservation.

We wanted to showcase how the research we did on this trip is key to the protection of the Amazon, so we produced a documentary where you can follow our journey in full. The documentary, called Echoes of the Rainforest, shadows us as we join forces with Peruvian environmental researchers and the indigenous communities in the Pacaya-Samiria National Park to study how we can best protect the Amazonian ecosystems. See below for the full trailer. Full documentary will be released on Vimeo soon. Follow me @dael_sassoon over on Instagram for updates.